


Under Scrutiny

by TMar



Category: due South
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-21
Updated: 2018-10-21
Packaged: 2019-08-05 07:39:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16363682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TMar/pseuds/TMar
Summary: When they are outed as a couple, Fraser and Ray Vecchio are advised to become famous in order to make sure no one tries to hurt them. (It made sense in my head.)





	Under Scrutiny

**Author's Note:**

> This was never posted to an archive because it was published in the zine "Even Steven". I'm adding it to the archive now as it timed out many years ago!

When Ray Vecchio pulled up outside the Precinct in the morning, he was a  
little surprised to find a gaggle of reporters - plus cameras and  
recording equipment - standing outside in a bunch. Ray wondered what  
they wanted, decided he didn't care, and just strolled along towards the  
entrance.

"Detective Vecchio!" called a loud, shrill female voice.

Ray recognised it immediately - the voice belonged to that red-headed  
reporter, the one who liked to do stories which scared people - toxic  
waste, stalkers in the neighbourhood, paedophiles, that kind of thing.  
For the life of him Ray couldn't remember her name, but he figured he  
would keep walking and speak if she asked him a specific question.

The other reporters all gathered around, but they seemed to be  
waiting for the woman's lead. "Detective Vecchio!" She shoved a  
microphone at him. "Any comment on the events of last night?"

Ray thought about that for three seconds. Last night he and Benny had  
solved that stalker case, then gone to Benny's place, and...

"What, the cop stalker?" he asked. The case had involved a guy who  
had a habit of videotaping cops at home, at work, and then killing them  
after he had a specific number of videotapes done. Since each killing  
had been slightly different, and since the killings - four, before  
they'd caught him - had been more than a month apart each time, no one  
had noticed the similarity. No one except Benny. It was thanks to Benny  
that they had caught the guy. Ray figured they just wanted to ask him  
more questions about "the Mountie".

"You wanna ask me about Constable Fraser, is that it?" He was shocked  
to see the glee in the faces of everyone around him as they grinned. Ray  
went cold: they knew something he didn't. He stopped walking and faced  
Her Shrillness. "What?"

"Didn't you watch the news last night?" she asked, frowning.

Ray hadn't. Benny didn't have a TV. "No."

The reporters all stopped for a second, and then Her Shrillness  
stepped forward. "Are the two of you really sleeping together?"

"WHAT?!" yelled Ray.

"Weren't you in on the checking of the videotapes?"

"No."

"It looks like you - or Constable Fraser - was next on the list.  
Smythe had a whole collection of the two of you."

Oh God. Ray had seen some of the footage, when they'd found the guy's  
first stash. Cop #1, coming out of his house, driving to work. Cop #1  
and partner, having lunch. Cop #1 and partner, driving around on cases.  
Cop #1 going home. Playing with the kids in the garden. Cop #1 and  
wife... Oh God. "No comment," said Ray, and quickened his steps into the  
precinct.

Inside it was relatively safe, but then Ray noticed that people were  
staring at him. And with undisguised shock, or surprise, or *something*.  
He went into Lieutenant Welsh's office as quickly as he could.

Welsh was in the office with Huey and Inspector Thatcher. "Detective  
Vecchio. Nice of you to join us."

Seeing the Dragon Lady there made Ray realise that his worst fears  
were true. "Oh, God. It's true, isn't it?"

Welsh looked at him oddly. "Vecchio, are you telling me you *didn't*  
see the news last night?"

If what he suspected was true, Ray didn't have to worry about coming  
up with a cover story. "Fraser doesn't have a television, Sir."

Welsh got up. "I think you'd better come with me. Excuse us." He led  
Ray into one of the conference rooms, one that had a TV and VCR set up.  
"This is what they aired on the news," the lieutenant said, putting in a  
tape.

The story began with footage of Ray and Huey leading the suspect -  
suspect!! - out of his apartment building in handcuffs, Fraser hanging back  
a little. The anchorman then went on to describe the case, and the screen  
cut to snippets of footage taken by "The Cop Stalker".

"This was footage we released to them," Welsh said, pausing the tape.  
"Just enough for their news broadcasts, and nothing personal. But this..."  
He pressed play, "...This was copied and leaked by someone at the crime  
lab."

The anchorman went on to say that it appeared that Detective Raymond  
Vecchio of the 27th Precinct was probably to have been the next victim. And  
the screen cut to a shot of Ray, Fraser and Diefenbaker at the Riv, and  
then... "Oh, God," said Ray.

There they were: himself, and Benny, in Benny's apartment, kissing at the  
window. The picture was fuzzy, obviously, but Ray could still see himself  
unbutton Benny's jacket, kiss his chest, and... disappear below the  
window frame.

The anchorman came back with a note that it was the same two men in the  
footage who had solved the case, and that news item was over.

Welsh said nothing; he merely exchanged tapes. This, Ray could see  
immediately, was the raw footage. It began with attempts to get a good focus  
into Benny's window, then it cut to the two of them standing there. First, a  
gentle hug, then they began kissing. "Turn it off," said Ray. He knew  
exactly what came next.

Welsh stopped the tape. "I'm sorry," he said.

Ray swallowed, wondering what the hell he *could* say to something like  
this. "Is this going to affect my job, Sir?"

"Not as far as I'm concerned, Vecchio. Inspector Thatcher came to me with  
similar concerns. Canada has a non-discrimination policy, as do we. I think  
Big Red will be all right. But as for you..."

Ray ran a hand over his face. "It's not gonna be easy. I know. I've seen  
it before." And he had. Gay jokes in the locker room. People who'd leave the  
men's bathroom the minute he walked in. He'd probably find nasty notes on  
his desk and in his locker. Some people might even ask embarrassing  
questions. And speaking of that, how was he going to face people now,  
knowing that they'd all seen the footage and knew what he had done to Fraser  
just a little while back? Ray looked up to find Welsh staring at him with  
some sort of... curiosity. He hoped to avoid any personal comments from his  
boss and get back to the business at hand: damage control. "So, what's our  
position on this, Sir? What do I say the vultures outside the station  
house?"

But it didn't even look like Welsh had heard him.

"Sir?"

"Huh? Oh." Welsh looked at him again, his curiosity not even disguised.  
"Can I ask you just one question, Vecchio? I'll never ask anything like this  
again. You know I'll back you up."

Ray nodded; he couldn't bring himself to speak.

"Did you really..."

Ray knew what Welsh wanted to ask, but he couldn't answer without the  
question being clear. Why make it easier for people?

"I mean... in the footage, you... It looks like you... you know."

"Yeah?"

"Did you?"

Ray figured he might as well explode in here. Welsh would understand.  
"Did I what, Sir? What's the technical term for that? You scared to use it?  
But, did I do it? Sure I did! Did I like it? Yeah, I liked it, but Benny, he  
liked it a whole lot! Has he done that to me? Sure he has! He likes it too,  
but then he would, the man has eaten dirt off sidewalks!"

His boss wasn't even looking at him, at least not directly. "You  
finished, Detective?"

"Yes, Sir."

"We'd better go back and assess the situation. Decide what our official  
position is."

"Yeah." Ray followed Welsh from the room.

***

As soon as they were back in Welsh's office, Ray turned to Thatcher.  
"Where's Benny?"

"I told him to stay in the Consulate." Thatcher's voice was annoyed, and  
a little brittle, but she didn't seem overly perturbed.

"Does he know?" Ray asked, suddenly realising that Benny would have  
gotten as much of a shock as he had.

"Yes." It was all the woman said.

"And?"

"I had to order him to remain. He wanted to come here, and I'm sure  
you'll agree that wouldn't have been a good idea, Detective. We had to  
assess the damage first."

"Yeah, you're right," Ray agreed. "So the question is, what's the  
plan for damage control?"

Huey had obviously been doing some thinking while they were out of the  
room, because he stated something that none of them had thought of. "I doubt  
anyone could get away with a real hate crime," he said. "You're famous now."

"What?" Ray couldn't believe what Huey was saying. "Are you serious,  
Jack? *Famous*? Us?"

"Yeah." Huey looked a little uncomfortable, but he continued resolutely.  
"We know everyone cares about the Mountie. He's a celebrity. And since that  
news item, you are as well. So..." He trailed off, trying to make clear what  
he was trying to say. 

But Thatcher had caught on, and continued for him. "So if anything happens to either of you, it will be like the entire city of Chicago admitting they don't care about their gay population. It could  
get ugly very quickly, especially politically."

Ray grinned. "So you're saying we're safe?"

"Yes." That was Thatcher. "Not completely, but safer than you would have  
been had this *not* been on the news."

"So why isn't Benny here?" Ray knew this was a complete about-face, but  
he suddenly felt hurt that he'd had to face the Inquisition without Benny.

"We wanted you to find out first," replied Welsh.

"Fine. So I know. Can I use your phone, Sir?" Ray picked it up and began  
dialling.

"What are you doing, Vecchio?" asked Huey.

"Calling the Consulate. If being celebrities is going to make it safe for  
us, I'm using that." He paused to ask for Fraser, then simply said, "Benny?  
Get your butt down here." There was a longer pause as Fraser obviously  
argued with him. "Benny, we think that exploiting this is the only way to  
make it safe, make sure no one tries anything. So we'll be famous." Another  
pause. "Aaah!" Ray covered the mouthpiece. "There's no arguing with him.  
Here." He handed the phone to Thatcher.

"Constable? Yes, I'm at the station house now. I think Detective Vecchio  
has a point. When can you be here? All right. Thank you." And she put the  
phone down, smiling a little for the first time that day. "He'll take a taxi  
and be here in ten minutes."

"Thank you, Inspector," Ray said, meaning it.

Thatcher only looked uncomfortable. "Fraser is under my command," was all  
she said.

There was no way for Ray to know what had once transpired between Benny  
and the Inspector. Fraser had never talked about it.

"All right, can you people clear out of my office now?" Welsh asked.  
"Vecchio, you wait for Big Red out front."

Ray didn't relish the idea of braving the reporters, but he did know that  
he had to do it - go outside and state things with Benny at his side.

***

Sure enough, in exactly ten minutes, a taxi pulled up and Diefenbaker jumped  
out, followed by Fraser. The reporters, who hadn't noticed Ray loitering at  
the door, rushed over to get a statement from "the Mountie". Fraser looked  
panicked for just a second before he saw Ray, and then his relaxation was  
quite visible.

Ray ambled up to him, shoving reporters aside as needed. "Hey, Benny."

"Ray, what's going on?" It was hard to have a private conversation with  
microphones and cameras being shoved at them.

Ray only whispered, "Damage control," as he faced the reporters  
nonchalantly. "We're ready to talk now," he said.

"How long has this been going on?"  
"Have you always been gay?"

"How does the wolf fit in?"

"Is it serious?"

"Were you doing what it seemed like on the news?"

"Do you know women's hearts are breaking all over Chicago?"

That last question took both men by surprise. The other questions had  
been the obvious, but this last... "What do you mean?" asked Fraser, zeroing  
in on the dark-haired female reporter who had been hanging back a little.

"Constable Fraser, surely you know what that uniform does to people. I  
myself have seen you in action. Every woman in Chicago has been hoping to  
get you."

"'Get' me?"

"Yeah. Feeling relieved when we found out you weren't married, that kind  
of thing. I believe you were voted the third most eligible bachelor in  
Chicago or something."

"Second," put in Ray, smirking.

"Excuse me?" Both the reporter and Fraser turned to look at him. Fraser  
hadn't even known about it.

"Second," said Ray again. Putting on his most innocent look he added, "My  
sister buys the tabloids."

A male reporter shoved his way to the front. "So, do you two consider  
yourselves role-models for gay youth?"

The lovers looked at each other. "I guess," said Ray.

"The RCMP is a worthy career for anyone, as is American law enforcement,"  
Fraser said. He knew what the guy was asking, and he deliberately appeared  
to misunderstand.

"No, I meant..."

"We know what you meant," Ray replied, annoyed. "Role models? Are you  
kidding? Benny would be a role-model no matter what. He's kind, dependable,  
honest. He helps little old ladies across the street. He stopped developers  
tearing down his apartment building. He went chasing across Chicago for a  
stupid dinner invitation. He saved my life up in the woods. He..."

"Ray." Fraser said it just once, softly but firmly.

Ray stopped, out of breath from the strength of his outburst. "What?"

Before Fraser could reply, the shrill redhead butted in. "And you shot  
him," she said to Ray.

"How...?"

"I checked the both of you out long ago. You shot him."

"It was an accident," Ray said, getting defensive.

"No doubt. But tell me, Detective, did you really try to shoot the  
suspect because she was a criminal, or did you try to shoot her because  
Constable Fraser was trying to leave with her?"

That hit a nerve. "That's enough." Ray's voice veered on the danger side.

"Well?"

"I thought she had a gun."

The woman would have continued, but another male reporter stepped  
forward. "I'm still waiting for the answer. Have you always been gay?"

This was getting tiresome. Ray didn't want to be a new icon for the gay  
community. He knew his chances of ever being promoted had been shot to hell  
by the newscast last night, but he didn't have to make statements that could  
be turned against him later. "Ask my ex-wife," he said, grabbing Benny's  
arm. And even as he steered Benny (who wasn't resisting) into the station  
house, Ray knew he'd be getting a very angry phone call from Angie later,  
because these reporters were merciless. They *would* contact Angie and grill  
her for information.

As soon as they stepped inside and away from the reporters, Fraser  
stopped dead and turned to Ray. "Was that necessary?"

"What?"

"Angie."

"They just got to me, Fraser. As if things are really that simple."

"We both know they aren't," Fraser said, his blue eyes boring into his  
lover's green ones.

Just then the reporter who'd asked about the female Chicago populace came  
up to them.

"How'd you get in?"

"I showed them my press card."

Ray looked. It was for a *very* exclusive magazine. Ray had read it once  
in a while because both his sisters and his mother did. "So what do you  
want?"

"I want the truth."

"Pardon me," Fraser put in, "but all reporters say that, don't they?"

Fraser recalled posing for pictures in order to enhance the RCMP's image,  
and instead he'd been splashed all over the tabloids - which had made Ray  
mad.

"I've read your magazine," said Ray.

"So you know I'm telling the truth."

Ray knew that this magazine had the reputation for getting the 'real  
story'. Many Hollywood celebrities who otherwise eschewed talking to the  
press had given interviews. He just looked at the reporter. "The truth, huh?  
About what?"

"I want *your* story. Not the story of the cop and the Mountie, not like  
they'll tell it." She indicated the doorway where the other reporters could  
just be seen. "I want to know how this happened. What brought Detective  
Raymond Vecchio and Constable Benton Fraser together. The real story. And  
we'll take our own pictures. You can come into the studio, or we'll do those  
'at home' shots. What do you say?"

"Okay."

Fraser gaped. Ray wasn't actually *agreeing*...

"Here's my card." She placed a beautifully decorated business card in  
Ray's hand. It listed her as, 'Belinda Morgan, Staff Writer'. "I hope we  
can do it this weekend. Call me."

"I will."

And Ray and Fraser walked off, followed by Dief.

***

No sooner had they stepped into Welsh's office than the lieutenant was  
ordering Ray to take time off. "Just a week. Until things calm down a bit.  
Don't worry, Vecchio, this isn't a suspension. I mean it, about letting  
things calm down." He looked over at Thatcher, who sighed.

"You too, Constable."

"Uh... we've agreed to give a magazine interview," Ray said.

"Tell me it isn't a tabloid."

"No, Sir." Ray handed Welsh the business card.

Welsh looked it over, even seeming to approve. "Okay. Do it." He handed  
the card back. "Now get the hell out of my office so that we can salvage  
part of the day for actual police work."

***

As he drove to Benny's apartment, Ray began to realise the full impact of  
the situation. The whole of Chicago knew what they had been doing. His  
stomach had the worst case of butterflies it had ever had. Heck, forget  
butterflies. It had bluebirds.

And by the time Fraser closed the door behind them, he was shaking all  
over.

"Ray?" Fraser was looking at him, worriedly.

"Why are you so calm, Benny?"

"I don't care about that, Ray. If you think we can safeguard ourselves  
and our families by doing this, fine. I've done it before. The vultures will  
stop circling eventually."

"What about promotion, Benny? I know mine will never happen now. What  
about you?"

"I've been on the Force for fourteen years, and I'm still a Constable. I  
don't care about rank, Ray, you should know that. I just want to do my job,  
whatever it happens to be." As he spoke, Fraser inched closer and closer to  
Ray. He could see that Ray needed something to get all the tension out, to  
stop the shakes. "Ray, I want you."

And suddenly, Ray found his arms around Fraser, and they were pressed up  
against each other. "Oh, God, Benny!" Ray trembled in earnest now.

"I have to make love to you, Ray," Fraser said, his voice still quite  
steady. And he did have to, because he knew Ray needed it. Before he could  
panic at the thought of the outside world, Fraser needed to banish it, blot  
out the rest of the world completely. And Fraser needed it, too. Had to  
remind Ray *why* they were going through all this.

"Then do it," Ray replied, surrendering his mouth to Fraser.

The kiss was harsh, almost bruising, as Benny claimed him, seeming to  
say, "You're mine," with tongue and teeth alone. But then Ray seemed to  
shake himself out of the introspection, and he kissed Benny back with the  
same force, tangling his tongue with Benny's, the resulting warmth and  
arousal doing their job: blotting out the world.

Fraser began to walk to the bed, and Ray followed, each shedding whatever  
garments they could. But when they stood by the bed, Fraser spoke very  
gently. "Lie down, Ray."

Ray finished taking off the rest of his clothes and did as he was asked,  
lying down on the bed, looking up at Benny as he efficiently stripped off  
the rest of his uniform and underwear. And Ray smiled when he saw how much  
Benny wanted him.

"Turn over." It was just a whisper, and Ray turned, not managing to  
suppress the tingle which ran down his spine at the thought of what Benny  
was going to do. Then Benny was sitting on the bed next to him, running just  
one hand down his back, from his neck, over his spine, lingering every so  
often, down to his buttocks.

Ray shivered.

"Ray?"

"I want it, Benny."

"Like this?"

"Yeah." All the other ways were just as good, but now they needed to be  
together, one covering the other, touching all along their bodies.

A slight movement, and Fraser was back, preparing him so carefully,  
maddeningly slowly, his fingers sliding within Ray, until Ray writhed  
against the bedcover and said, "Dammit, Benny, enough already!"

At that statement, Fraser climbed onto the bed behind Ray, moving to lie  
between Ray's legs, guiding himself within, and finally covering Ray with  
his entire body.

"Ray?" he asked again.

"Yeah, just like that," Ray answered, and Fraser could hear the smile,  
the contentment in his voice.

Fraser fitted his hands over Ray's on either side, keeping that  
connection, and kissed the back of Ray's neck as he moved in a slow, lazy  
rhythm meant to convey love.

Ray wasn't sure whether the delicious slowness was good or bad, he only  
knew that they were one, and that nothing else mattered. The slight friction  
Benny made brought his own hardness into contact with the bedcover, but Ray  
knew it was not going to be enough. "More," he whispered, unable to make the  
word any louder. But Benny obeyed, moving against him at a quickening pace,  
faster and faster, to the inevitable end.

Ray smiled when Benny stiffened against him, and collapsed along his  
back, still within him. "God, Benny, you're good." As he said it he just  
knew the Mountie would be blushing.

Fraser made to move away, but Ray stopped him. "Wait." He didn't need to  
say more; he knew Benny would understand the need he had for this - the  
security of Benny covering him, being within him. "I love you, Benny," he  
said.

Fraser kissed just below Ray's left ear. "I know that. And I love you."

They lay like that for a short while, just enjoying being together, away  
from prying eyes. Finally, though, Ray squirmed - it was getting difficult  
to breathe - and Fraser moved away.

As Ray turned over, however, Fraser noticed one thing. "Ray... you... you  
didn't..."

And it was true. Ray had been so busy concentrating on the *other* things  
\- Benny covering him, Benny's breath on his neck - that he hadn't climaxed  
himself. But he didn't even care. The love which had flowed from Benny into  
him with that one act had been worth it. "It doesn't matter, Benny."

"It matters, Ray. It matters to me."

"I got what I wanted." Ray lay back against the pillows. He had - what  
he'd needed had been for Benny to love him, possess him, be inside him.  
"But, do your worst, Benny." The grin conveyed his real intention.

Fraser saw that Ray was telling the truth - he had gotten what he'd  
wanted. But Benny wanted Ray to feel good, too. He leaned down and took  
Ray's re-forming erection into his mouth.

Despite his assurances that he didn't need more, Ray definitely gained  
interest when suction was applied. "Oh, yeah, oh, yeah, Benny. That's it.  
Oohh..."

And Benny knew exactly what Ray liked, and how to bring him to a strong  
orgasm quickly. So he did.

They lay together in silence for a long, long while before Ray stirred  
restlessly. "I hope my mother didn't see that."

"She doesn't care, Ray. She told us that."

"I know. But it's one thing *knowing* your son is screwing a man, it's a  
completely different thing to see him suck him off on national television!"

Fraser gasped. "They didn't show..."

"Nah. But I think they got what we were doing when I kneeled down in  
front of you."

"I'm sorry, Ray."

"It's not your fault, Benny. People were bound to find out sooner or  
later. I'm glad it's sooner, although I could have done without the TV  
cameo." He grinned. "But now we just have to deal with the damages."

"Do the interview, you mean."

"Yeah."

"The magazine - will they be discreet?"

Ray laughed. "Not discreet, really. I mean, they'll still ask us  
embarrassing questions. What they won't do is make what we have seem tawdry.  
They'll get the story across, you'll see."

Fraser got up and fished Ray's cellphone out of his jacket. "Call them."

"Now?!"

"Now."

Ray called.

***

They'd had a long discussion on where to hold the interview. Their first  
reaction had been to have it at Fraser's apartment, but somehow, inviting  
the reporter into their own space seemed a little like a violation. Being  
filmed while about to make love had been a violation as well, but the day  
after the story broke, Frannie had shown up at the apartment bearing  
curtains. Fraser had thanked her politely while Ray had tried not to laugh.  
They'd hung the curtains, endured kisses and hugs from Frannie (well,  
*Fraser* had endured those), and all had been okay within.

As for the interview, Ray finally called his mother and she had no  
problem with letting them have the interview at the Vecchio home. That  
would actually be of great benefit to them - as well as having a tranquil,  
classy setting for the photographs, it would also convey the Vecchio  
family's acceptance of their relationship.

***

The tape recorder sat on the coffee table, and the two men sat on the couch  
opposite Belinda, as she scribbled notes - probably regarding the decor of  
the house or something, Ray thought.

"So, when did you two meet?"

It was Ray who answered. "Benny came to Chicago looking for the guy who  
had his father killed. I was assigned the case, and we worked it together."

"And you clicked, right from the start?"

"Yes." That was Fraser. "Although my first impression of Ray wasn't very  
positive, I soon realised that the persona he puts on is part of his job,  
and that I'd soon be able to see through it if I was given the opportunity."

The interview went on like that for a while - the discussion of old  
cases, the cementing of a friendship, the care and feeding of a wolf. And  
then came the Big Question.

"When did you realise that you loved each other?"

The lovers looked at each other. That question was difficult - love had  
just crept up on both of them before either of them had realised it. But it  
hadn't been your normal, everyday decision at all, oh no.

Ray remembered the day when it had first happened - it had been so  
silly...

***

He had finally talked Benny into coming over to watch football. Fraser,  
whose tastes ran more to hockey and basketball, had been a bit reluctant,  
but he'd finally agreed.

Ray had refused to let Fraser drink his usual coffee and soda during the  
match. "It's a football game, Benny! You can't drink *coffee* while watching  
a football game!"

Of course, Fraser had argued with him, and Ray had gotten rather  
exasperated. "Are you telling me you *never* drink, Benny? Not one drop of  
alcohol has passed your lips?"

"Of course not, Ray." Fraser sounded like he was lecturing a small child.  
"I just don't see the need to cloud the mind with artificial substances."

"One beer won't kill you," Ray had said.

Fraser had agreed, not because Ray had forced him into it, but rather  
because it seemed important to Ray to share this ritual. And it had ended up  
being far more than just *one*...

By the end of the game 'tipsy' was the most polite term for the two of  
them. They had started their own game right there in the living room, and  
after a rather vicious tackle he had ended up sitting on top of Fraser,  
straddling him. "Ha! You wouldn't have made that touchdown any way you look  
at it!"

Fraser had giggled - a lovely, lilting sound. It had done something to  
Ray, who had not been completely in control to begin with. He had stopped  
laughing, and as he looked at Benny, Benny had stopped laughing too. They  
had simply stared into each other's eyes for what seemed an eternity before  
Ray had leaned down, and Fraser had arched up, and they were kissing with a  
fierce desperation.

The alcoholic haze had receded a little in the wake of the adrenaline  
which shot through the both of them at the contact, and they broke away at  
the same time, breathing heavily.

"What was that?" Ray asked, not knowing what else to say. He was still  
sitting on top of Benny, and noticed just then that he was aroused and  
aching.

"Something we both wanted, I think," Fraser replied, not moving but  
looking up at Ray, a serious look on his face. Ray could feel Fraser beneath  
him - feel his hardness right through his jeans. He knew that what happened  
next would determine their entire future. He could have turned away, made  
light of it, and things could have gone on as they always had.

No. Ray wanted Benny, and even though he had never thought of another man  
that way since his teens, he knew it was the right thing to do. "Did you  
want it, Benny?" he asked.

"Yes, Ray." A hand came up, tentatively, and touched the bulge in Ray's  
pants, making Ray jump as excitement lanced through him. This was  
unfamiliar, but it felt so right, so good!

"Oh, God." Ray leaned down again, fitting himself against Benny, rubbing  
his own still-covered erection against Benny's, kissing him with all his  
might until they both came, shocked and gasping.

"I've never done that before," Fraser had said when they had parted.

"Nor have I. I mean, I thought about it, had friends who experimented,  
but... I dunno... I'd decided Irene was the one, and I never considered it  
again after Irene and I... well, you know." Ray felt he was babbling, and  
shut up.

"What does this mean for us?" Fraser asked softly.

"I dunno, Benny. But it felt so good..."

"Yes, it did."

They had kissed again, stripped off their clothes this time, and had a  
repeat performance on Ray's carpeted lounge floor.

The declarations of undying love had come afterwards, when they had lain  
sated in Ray's bed upstairs.

***

"Well?" Belinda asked, prompting when neither of them said anything.

"We just sort of realised one day, a couple of months back, when we were  
hanging out." Ray looked at Fraser out of the corner of his eye, but Benny  
looked perfectly relaxed. They had decided to do this, and so Benny would  
just go ahead and do it. As long as he didn't talk the reporter to death -  
that was one thing Ray had been afraid of. But so far Benny was behaving  
himself.

"And let me ask the same question my colleagues asked: do you feel  
yourselves to be role-models for gay youth? I mean, it seems as if you're in  
a happy, stable, monogamous relationship. You're both good at your jobs. Can  
a gay person, in effect, have it all?" She smiled to herself. "Broke my own  
rule. That's two questions."

"It's okay," said Ray.

Fraser looked at him briefly and said, "I suppose... I mean, I would  
hope... that we could be... Rather, I'd like to think... Ray?!"

"I think that's a yes," Ray said, grinning. "You have to realise that to  
wake up one day and realise you're in love with your best friend doesn't  
change the way you think about yourself. I didn't, and still don't I guess,  
think of myself that way. But..." Here he sighed. "But, other people do, and  
I suppose if that's the label they wanna use..."

Belinda continued questioning Ray. "You spoke about your ex-wife. I took  
the liberty of checking and you really do have one." She sounded a little  
startled.

"Yeah?"

"Did you divorce because of this?"

Ray hadn't wanted that question. "'This'?"

"Your being gay."

"God, no!" It seemed absurd. Ray didn't like to think about their  
divorcing. Sometimes late at night, before he'd fallen in love with Benny,  
he had thought about it. Angie had been scared all the time. He'd been shot,  
once, and after that she'd been scared, worried about him. And then there  
had been the baby, the one which had never been born. Ray had known Angie  
was as heartbroken as he was over that loss, but he also knew she was  
relieved that there wasn't a child who might someday be hurt by his death.  
"My wife... she couldn't handle being married to a cop. Some women can't,  
you know. Hell, some men can't, especially if their wives are street cops.  
It wasn't her fault."

"What about you, Constable Fraser?"

"Me?"

"You've never been married, I take it?"

"No."

"So you've always preferred men?"

Fraser looked at Ray, who just gave him the 'you're on your own' look. "I  
deal with people as individuals," Fraser said.

"So you're bisexual?" The woman tried to make sense out of that answer.

"I don't know," Benny finally said. "I have really loved only two people  
in my life. One was a woman, the other is Ray. I suppose that would be  
accurate."

"Who was the woman?"

"I'd rather not talk about that."

"Well, then, can you tell me why you're not with her now?"

The lovers looked at each other, trying to figure out what to say to  
that. In the end, there seemed to be only one answer, and Fraser articulated  
it. "She left me."

"Because you're gay?"

"No. There were... other factors involved."

Belinda just looked at him, a little exasperated at what she saw as his  
evasions. Finally, Ray came to his rescue. "She was a criminal. She tried to  
use Benny. She nearly destroyed his life." 'And mine,' he wanted to add, but  
didn't.

Belinda's face lit up with realization. "Victoria Metcalfe."

Fraser was looking at the floor. "Yes."

"Ah." She didn't say anything more about that, because she had checked  
out the shooting incident too. "And how does your family feel about your  
relationship?" she asked Ray.

"They're fine with it."

"That all?"

"Well, my sister gave me hell for a while. She's always had a crush on  
Benny." He looked at Fraser, whose eyes locked with his.

Suddenly the tension in the room was way up. The reporter pulled at her  
sweater, feeling rather hot. She cleared her throat. "Uh... could I talk to  
them?"

"Who, my family?"

"Yes."

"Actually, they're all at my cousin's house. Once a month we do this  
get-together thing." And that was true. But as if to make his life a misery,  
Frannie walked in the door.

"Whew! Lemme tell you, those kids can be a handful. Why'd I let you talk  
me into taking your place babysitting? I..." Frannie stopped in mid-speech.  
"Oh. Sorry. I thought the interview would be over by now."

The reporter stood up and introduced herself. "Would you mind answering a  
few questions for me?"

Frannie looked uncertainly at Ray, who just nodded.

"Uh... okay..." Frannie sat down next to Fraser.

"Your brother tells me you had a crush on Fraser here."

Frannie blushed, looked at Fraser, looked away. "Well, yeah."

"So how did you feel when you found out about their relationship?"  
Ray saw his sister fidget. Not a good sign - it usually meant that she  
didn't want to answer a question truthfully.

"It's all right, Francesca," Fraser said, seeing it as well.

Frannie looked right at Fraser, taking his hand and squeezing it. "I  
think I pondered killing him," she smiled. "But then I saw... I saw how  
Benton looks at him. Ray is happy. Benton is happy. And I don't feel so bad  
now. At least he didn't throw me over for another *woman*."

Belinda grinned. That was a likely reaction, she thought. "So your whole  
family accepts it?"

"Sure. My mother loves Benton, the kids are crazy about him, and we've  
never seen Ray this happy. So, yeah."

"No misgivings at all?"

Frannie hadn't really had any, but she recalled Tony making a few  
uncomplimentary remarks when Ray wasn't around. And she remembered her  
mother's only question, "Is it my fault, Francesca?" But they had decided  
that they would put all their doubts aside if it was in Ray's best interest.  
"None," Frannie said. "We support Ray one hundred percent."

"That's unusual."

"Hey, we're an unusual family."

The interview didn't go on much longer, because the photographer arrived  
just as Frannie was trying to be a good hostess and making coffee - which  
Ray whispered to Belinda not to drink too much of.

The photographer took a *lot* of pictures - Fraser by himself in various  
poses, Ray the same, the two of them together, some including Dief. Frannie  
was in a couple as well - the supportive sister and all that.

But there were a few things that made Fraser - and Ray, for that matter -  
uncomfortable. "How about a hug? Or a kiss?"

"No." Ray was firm.

"Oh, come on. Everyone knows about the two of you."

"I said no," replied Ray.

"Why not?"

"No need to rub everyone's nose in this, okay? Neither of us feels  
comfortable with that. Not to mention that my niece and nephews might see  
it."

And that was the end of it. There would be nothing suggestive in any of  
the pictures, and Ray knew the magazine would not stoop so low as to obtain  
frames of the cop-stalker's video.

That effectively ended the interview. Belinda looked happy enough, but  
the photographer seemed a bit angry. Ray couldn't really blame him, but what  
he'd said was true - while he and Benny had never hid their relationship  
from his family, pictures of them kissing might bring up questions the  
younger ones weren't ready to ask yet. Ray thanked his lucky stars that none  
of his nephews and nieces in Chicago had his surname, and that his brother  
and his wife and kids lived in Florida. They, at least, would be spared the  
taunts and insults which might result.

***

The issue containing their article came out two weeks later. It was  
amazingly tasteful, all things considered. Ray grinned at the pictures the  
editor had chosen - Fraser on the couch with one hand on Dief's head.  
Himself next to the mantel containing photographs of his family. Himself and  
Fraser on the couch with Dief lying on the floor at their feet.

Ray had been mad, though, when he'd turned the page only to find a  
picture from his and Angie's wedding among two others. One, taken that  
particular afternoon showed himself and Fraser on the couch with Frannie  
standing behind, one hand on each of their shoulders. The other was a  
picture which Ray had never seen before but remembering posing for. It was  
of Fraser in the red serge on duty outside the Consulate. Ray had on an  
Hawaiian shirt and had his arm around him. Tourists had taken that one -  
where the hell had that Belinda woman gotten it from? He thought of calling  
and grilling her, but changed his mind. Who cared, anyway - it was a good  
picture.

Ray had never gotten that angry phone call from Angie, but now he called  
her. He had to know what had possessed her to let the reporter have a  
picture of them.

"Were you angry with me, Ange?"

"No, I wasn't angry with you, Ray. I figured that it couldn't do any harm  
if people saw you weren't always... you know." She sounded a bit shy.

"Gay, Ange? You can say it, you won't get struck by lightning."

"Well... yeah." A slight pause. "You weren't, were you?"

"Ange..." Ray knew it sounded whiny. "Who asked for the divorce, you or  
me?"

Angie said nothing.

"I loved you. You know that, don't you?"

"I know, Ray."

"So, you're okay?" He touched the page with the wedding picture,  
remembering that day. Angie looked out of the page at him, forever young and  
hopeful, not the tense shadow she'd become in the year after the  
miscarriage, when she'd started worrying more than before.

"I'm fine, Ray."

"Okay. Just checking. Come by sometime and visit Ma, all right? You  
divorced me, not her."

"I will."

***

When Ray went to pick Fraser up at the Consulate he found a gaggle of people  
\- tourists? - outside, all holding the magazine, whispering to each other  
and pointing at the building. He looked up and saw Meg Thatcher at the  
window of her office. She saw him, too, and indicated that he should come  
in.

Ray tried to slip by the people, but they recognized him immediately. He  
ignored them, however, and elbowed his way through, catching only bits of  
what they were saying.

"... in the article... Mountie's lover... wonder about the wolf... his  
poor family..."

He ignored them.

"What's up, Inspector?" Ray asked as he walked into her office. Fraser  
was nowhere in sight. Ray knew Thatcher couldn't fault them for doing the  
interview. They had all agreed that visibility would be the best way to go.

"Can you arrest those people out front?"

Ray realised it was a genuine question. "You want me to arrest them?"

"Yes. They're making a nuisance of themselves."

"It'll blow over," Ray said.

"And is it necessary for me to put up with them until then?"

Ray sighed. "Well, Inspector, I suppose I could arrest them for holding  
a gathering without a permit or something. But that might draw even more  
attention, and frankly, I'm sick of all this attention as it is."

And he was. While those he worked with hadn't changed much in the way  
they treated him, Ray had had a couple of unpleasant incidents with members  
of the public and with criminals who'd been brought in. He could ignore  
those with ease, though. The people who really mattered hadn't changed.

Meg sighed. "You're right of course."

"Where's Fraser?"

"Hiding in his office I'd assume."

"I don't blame him. If there's nothing else?" Ray went to the door, and  
was stopped by Meg's voice.

"Detective, by the way..."

"Yeah?"

"It's a good interview."

Ray grinned his patented hell-bent grin. "Thanks."

Fraser was indeed hiding in his office. He was staring from behind the  
curtains at the gathering on the sidewalk.

"They still out there, Benny?" Ray asked as he sidled in - not that he  
could ever enter a room without Benny knowing. The man could probably detect  
changes in the air density!

"Yes. This... fame... well, maybe I should say notoriety... it scares  
me." He turned and looked at Ray. "I'm not comfortable with the whole of  
Chicago knowing all about me."

"Me neither, but it was necessary." Ray stepped up and enfolded his lover  
in an embrace from behind, feeling Fraser relax against him. "Better?"

Fraser tipped his head back onto Ray's shoulder. "Oh, yes."

Despite himself, Ray began to tingle. "I love it when you talk like  
that."

He could hear the smile in Benny's voice as he replied, "Like what, Ray?"

"When you say things like that, you know, 'Oh, yes,' that stuff."

"I was just - "

"I know what you were doing, Benny. I can't help it if it turns me on,  
can I?"

Fraser moved out of the embrace so he could turn and face his lover. "It  
does?"

"Yeah." They were still learning about each other.

Then Fraser's hand snaked downwards between them and cupped Ray where he  
needed it most. "Now you say it."

Ray was confused. "What?"

"Something similar."

"But, Benny, where's the spontaneity in that?"

Fraser removed his hand.

"Okay, okay. Just... harder, please." Absently, Ray wondered if Fraser's  
office door was locked, but then he didn't have time to think about it as  
Benny fondled him more firmly. "Oh, yeah. That's it." He heard a chuckle and  
looked into those beautiful eyes. "What?"

"You're right, Ray. It is... stimulating... to hear that."

Ray just grinned, and stuck his hand under the RCMP tunic, knowing what  
he would find there. Sure enough, Fraser was hard and ready for this. "Is  
the door locked, Benny?" he asked, realising from Fraser's state of arousal  
that they were going to do it in here, and he didn't want the Dragon Lady  
seeing anything.

Fraser's harsh breathing slowed a little. "You came in last, Ray."

"Oh, yeah." Ray went back to the door and locked it, turning back to his  
lover. "There." He gaped as Fraser drew the curtain the rest of the way  
closed and began to casually unbutton his tunic. When had Benny become so  
cavalier towards sex? But he didn't have time to ponder much more as Benny  
came towards him, hanging his tunic over a chair on the way. Ray stared even  
harder when he saw that Benny did not have an undershirt on!

"Benny!" he gasped, rather scandalized.

Fraser ignored his outburst and pulled Ray's jacket off, throwing it onto  
the desk. Then he began to unbutton Ray's shirt, licking him as each button  
came undone.

Ray hadn't moved from his position near the door, and now he didn't even  
have anything to lean against as Benny's mouth fastened onto a nipple,  
making him throw his head back in ecstasy. "Benny!"

Benny was ignoring him, as he continued to kiss and lick his way down  
Ray's body, his hands already unfastening Ray's pants and pulling them down.  
Ray clamped his mouth shut over the groan of passion which threatened to  
erupt when Benny touched his penis, fondling him expertly. But then the  
delightful sensations were gone, and Ray opened his eyes to see what had  
happened. Benny was taking his pants and boots off.

"Benny?"

"I want you inside me, Ray," Fraser stated, his voice husky.

"Here? Now?" It came out almost as a squeak.

"Yes."

"Oh, God." Ray swallowed hard as he bent down to get his pants the rest  
of the way off, not bothering to unlace his shoes as he pulled them off  
along with his socks. "Benny... we don't have anything..." he began, and was  
startled to see Fraser remove a tube from the pocket of his uniform pants.  
He took the tube from his lover. "You... you planned this!" He could hardly  
keep the surprise out of his voice.

Fraser turned around and kneeled down facing towards his office chair. He  
looked back at Ray. "I... not here... I don't think so..." He couldn't say  
what had made him put the tube in his p  
ocket this morning; he just had. But  
it was going to be put to good use...  
Carefully, Ray kneeled on the carpet behind Fraser, squeezing some gel  
onto his fingers and applying it to Benny slowly. Benny held onto the arms  
of the chair as he did this, and Ray was once again amazed at his lover's  
responsiveness. He was doubly turned on when Benny breathed in sharply and  
clenched his internal muscles around the invading fingers. "Now, Ray!"

Ray did as he was told. Slowly, too slowly for Fraser's liking, he  
gently removed the fingers and applied the gel to himself, making little  
sounds of appreciation and anticipation that he knew Benny would love. He  
moved up behind Fraser. "You okay, Benny? You sure you want this?"

But Fraser could hardly breathe, let alone talk. "Ray!" was all he  
managed, and the tone was both demanding and desperate. Ray couldn't ignore  
that tone, that voice. He loved Benny's voice. As slowly as he dared, he  
took hold of himself and pressed into Benny, having to close his eyes and  
concentrate to avoid the urge to finish it right then. When he was fully  
inside he put his arms around Fraser. "Ah, Benny," he whispered in his  
lover's ear.

All Fraser said was, "I love you, Ray."

I. Love. You. Ray. Ray concentrated on those words, on his love for this  
Mountie who had shown him that there was more to life than a narrow vision.  
Benny had taught him all the wonderful colours of love, and as he made love  
to Benny, Ray gloried in that.

His cry of, "Benny!" at orgasm was so loud that he wondered later if the  
tourists outside had heard it. But it was so, so good - *Benny* was so, so  
good... They were good together.

Ray wrapped his arms around Benny and just knelt there, unwilling to move  
away just yet. "I love you," he finally whispered. Fraser shifted, then, and  
Ray moved away, sitting back on the floor of the office. He watched in  
appreciation as his Mountie turned to face him. Ray looked down, then back  
up into those sea-blue eyes. "Need some help with that, Fraser?" he asked,  
quite cheekily.

The way Ray had said that made Fraser's breath catch. When Ray got cheeky  
he found it very sexy indeed. He could only nod.

"What, Benny?" Ray asked quietly.

Fraser moved away from the chair and lay back on the floor. "Whatever you  
like, Ray."

"How 'bout if I taste you, huh? Would you like that?"

Fraser closed his eyes as he ran his tongue over his bottom lip and  
groaned.

Ray took that as a yes.

***

Most of the tourists who'd been outside had long since gotten bored with  
waiting for a glimpse of "the Mountie", and wandered off. Ray checked the  
small gathering by peeking through the curtain. "There're only about five  
people left," he said. "Looks like they ain't leaving until they've seen  
something."

Fraser was adjusting his uniform. "Ray, it's only a few people. We can go  
now."

"I don't like the idea of them hanging around looking at us like we were  
museum exhibits!" He looked out of the window again and muttered, "Why is  
this my life?"

Fraser went over and hugged him from the back. "Ray..." He trailed off,  
not knowing what he was trying to say.

Ray turned around, returning the embrace. "I'm glad people know, Benny. I  
just... I wanna protect you from this. You're so private, you deserve to be  
left alone."

"It'll die down. And I don't care if people stare. Let them. I love you.  
I'm not ashamed of that, and I know you're not, either."

Ray kissed him. "Damn right I'm not."

Fraser smiled. "Then let's go home."

***

The few people left outside the Consulate finally got what they'd been  
waiting for, as the door opened and the Mountie, the cop and the wolf came  
out. They didn't touch, they didn't stare at the onlookers. In fact, it was  
as though they weren't even aware of the attention. They were talking, and  
their audience strained to hear.

"But Ma said she was making your favourite, Benny! We have to put in an  
appearance!"

"Well all right, Ray, but I should change first."

"Just don't wear the leather jacket, okay? My sister will be all over  
you."

"I still don't understand that, Ray..." the Mountie replied as he got  
into the car. Then the door closed, and they were out of earshot.

As the Riviera disappeared up the road the curious people just looked at  
each other in confusion, wondering what all the fuss had been about.

THE END


End file.
